Nidec Advance Technology Joins Forces with Techno Horizon to Develop Automated X-Ray Back Drill Inspection Machine

- Developing an industry-leading high-speed, high-accuracy analyzer to meet the datacenter market’s needs -

Nidec Advance Technology Corporation (“Nidec Advance Technology” or the “Company”) announced today that it has executed a new-product development contract with Techno Horizon Co., Ltd. (“Techno Horizon”) (headquartered in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture) (Representaitve Director and President: Mr. Hironobu Nomura). Together, the two companies will create AXI, an automated X-ray machine to inspect the machining of multi-layer PC boards’ back drills fast and accurately to meet the needs of the rapidly growing AI server and datacenter markets.

■ Background of the collaboration
As the use of generative AI and digital transformation (DX) accelerates in recent years, the datacenter and server markets are growing rapidly. The high-performance servers installed in datacenters and servers use multi-layer, high-density PC boards to enable high-capacity and -speed data communications. The quality of such high-speed transmission boards is partially determined by the performance of the through-hole and other major processes. In particular, the back drill method’s quality inspection is becoming more important than it has been ever before. This is why demand has been very strong for non-destructive and accurate inspection solutions that meet the mass-production line’s tact time.

■ Purpose and future prospects of the collaboration
The product that Techno Horizon and Nidec Advance Technology will develop will boast both an industry-leading inspection speed that can accommodate a total inspection at a mass-production line, and a high-accuracy imaging capability that can withstand defect analysis and research & development activities. In addition, with simplified and automated inspection recipe settings (which have been a bottleneck with conventional X-ray inspection machines), shortened inspection time, automated inspection decision, etc., the new AXI will be able to operate on mass-production lines to meet the rapidly growing demands for AI servers.

Techno Horizon’s high-sensitivity, high-resolution X-ray imaging technology enables the millimeter-level visualization and measurement of back drills’ remaining thickness (stab length), making OK/defect judgment during mass production, process condition setting during the prototyping phase, and detailed defect analysis complete with a single machine. On the other hand, as a leading company of PC board inspection machines (for continuity, optical, and other inspections), Nidec Advance Technology boasts high-accuracy measuring technology and mechatronic technology to automate and save labor of inspection processes. In this collaboration with Techno Horizon, the Company will promote system integration of the entire equipment, while providing its global sales and support networks. Together, the two companies will bring their new product to the market to contribute to the manufacturing of high-quality electronics products that support the AI society’s infrastructure.

■ Techno Horizon Co., Ltd.
With the image & IT technology and the robotics technology to realize motors’ optimum movements at its core, Techno Horizon enjoys an excellent track record in the field of industrial X-ray inspection machines. The company displays strength with its unique X-ray generation and detection technology and sophisticated-algorithm-based image-processing technology.

■ Nidec Advance Technology Corporation
A comprehensive measuring and inspection technology-based manufacturer, Nidec Advance Technology enjoys deep trust of its global customers with its PC boards (a flagship product) and high-speed, high-accuracy inspection technology for semiconductor package substrates’ energization inspection. In addition to conventional electrical inspections, the Company enhances its visual inspection technology by using optical technologies, while strengthening its special inspection equipment product group to engage in a wide range of business fields, including power semiconductor and EV motor inspections.

Website: https://www.nidec.com/en/nidec-advancetechnology/